Kent Bush: Free speech doesn't protect popularity

Kent Bush

Friday

Aug 20, 2010 at 12:01 AMAug 20, 2010 at 8:14 PM

Everyone knows Americans are guaranteed freedom of speech. People whine, scream and complain about it constantly. But few have any concept of what it entails. You would expect more from people who make a living under the umbrella of the First Amendment, such as Dr. Laura Schlessinger, but you would be disappointed.

Everyone knows Americans are guaranteed freedom of speech.

People whine, scream and complain about it constantly. But few have any concept of what it entails. You would expect more from people who make a living under the umbrella of the First Amendment, but you would be disappointed.

The problem is that everyone has freedom of speech, not just you. If you say something obnoxious or offensive, others have the same right to respond. The First Amendment does not guarantee you a vacuum in which to exist or a bubble of protection after you freely speak your ridiculous ramblings.

A Dutch philosopher named Soren Kierkegaard said, "People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought, which they seldom use."

That is certainly the case with Dr. Laura Schlessinger, who recently announced that she will not extend her contract as a radio broadcaster at the end of this year. The controversy surrounding her use of the "n-word" 11 times during a discussion with a black woman married to a white man about racial hypersensitivity was more than she cared to handle.

She was telling the woman how unfair it was for a black comedian to use the n-word on stage and not create an uproar, but if a white woman did on the radio it would be vilified.

I'm not sure where she got her license from, but they must advertise on NBC on Thursday nights.

Her logic was couched in the wisdom of Michael Scott from "The Office," who was upset that when he performed Chris Rock material at work people were offended. She also harkened back about 20 years to a "Seinfeld" episode where Jerry's dentist converted to Judaism just to be able to use Yiddish words and tell jokes about Jewish people.

"I have made the decision not to do radio anymore because I want to regain my First Amendment rights," Dr. Laura told Larry King. "I want to be able to say what's on my mind and in my heart and what I think is helpful and useful without somebody getting angry, without some special interest group deciding that this is a time to silence a voice of dissent and attack affiliates and sponsors."

The problems with her reasoning are numerous.

First of all, no one violated her First Amendment rights. No police officer came and whisked her to jail. She faces no charges or fines.

She hasn't been banned from the broadcast booth, and she isn't even stepping down until a time of her own choosing.

She just doesn't like other people using their own First Amendment rights to attack her ignorant views.

Her insensitivity didn't stop at merely using a word. Schlessinger also opined that black people voted for President Barack Obama because he is half black and told the caller she should not have married outside her race since she is so sensitive on matter of race.

Many groups have protested her comments and, obviously, her affiliates and sponsors are concerned about possible repercussions.